Dodd Vows to Pass Livability Bill Amid Skepticism From Rural Senators

Even as the Obama administration ramps up its work on a sustainability initiative that treats transportation, housing, and energy efficiency as interconnected aspects of development policy, the effort remains without an official congressional authorization -- a situation that Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) vowed to fix yesterday.

During an appearance in his home state with Ron Sims, chief of the administration's inter-agency Office of Livable Communities, Dodd vowed to work for passage of his legislation authorizing $4 billion in grants for Sims' work.

"I only have about eight to 10 months," he said, according to the Hartford Courant. "My goal is to see the Livable Communities Act become law before I retire."

Dodd, whose panel has jurisdiction over housing and urban development, is working with that 10-month deadline as he anticipates retiring from Congress at year's end. His push to create a long-term foundation for the administration's sustainability effort also could run into resistance from rural lawmakers whose states have tended to benefit from a transportation spending system based on road-mile formulas.

The first stirrings of rural skepticism came on Thursday, when Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) questioned the administration's move to emphasize "multi-modal" transport projects that would combine roads, transit, and bike-ped access.

Begich asked the U.S. DOT's No. 2, John Porcari, to make sure that rural states are "not lost in the mix." That sentiment was echoed later in the day by Sen. John Thune (R-SD).

"It seems to me that [the Office of Livable Communities] is a program that's going to overwhelmingly focus on urban areas," Thune told Porcari during the latter's appearance before the Senate Commerce Committee, asking if rural states such as his own would "get some assurance or guarantee of funding."

Porcari assured the senators that the administration plans to include rural areas in its sustainability plans, describing the program as an opportunity to restore the "quality of life" once associated with small-town America. Nonetheless, the concerns raised by Begich and Thune could signal more requests for livable communities grants to be distributed among all states, as opposed to the more competitive process the administration has outlined for its first $150 million of funding.

The most significant test of Dodd's ability to marshal support for his bill authorizing the livable communities office may come later this spring, as lawmakers consider the administration's request for about $530 million in 2011 funding for the effort. Congress assented to the White House budget request for $150 million in sustainability grants for 2010.

It is always fun to see a politician from Alaska complain about transportation spending on “other modes” when you consider the millions of dollars that are spent each year on the Alaska Marine Highway (Ferry Service), the Alaska Railroad and the subsidized Essential Air Services. Alsaka EAS gets $12 million!

South Dakota, which has just over the population of an average congressional district in California, got $3 million last year for EAS, and is the state with only a little 1000 people per mile of interstate.

California has 15,000 people per mile of interstate!

Erik G.

Somehow this got posted to the D.C. version of Streetsblog:

‘Tis always fun to see/hear a politician from Alaska complain about transportation spending on “other modes” when you consider the millions of dollars that are spent each year on the Alaska Marine Highway (Ferry Service), the Alaska Railroad and the subsidized Essential Air Services. Alsaka EAS gets $12 million!

South Dakota, which has just over the population of an average congressional district in California, got $3 million last year for EAS, and is the state with only a little 1000 people per mile of interstate.

California has 15,000 people per mile of interstate!

Oh, I forgot, South Dakota is the only state in the lower 48 that has never had Amtrak service.

Erik G.

OY! I wanted this to go to the L.A. page. WASSSUP Streetblog comments department??

jns

Yes, it’s going to focus “overwhelmingly” on urban areas. You know, where the “overwhelming” number of people live, and the “overwhelming” contributions to our country’s economy are created. Where the “overwhelming” need for infrastructure dollars is… That’s the GD point.

Why can’t we just say these things? Mr. Sims? “You’re either urban or you’re not.”

Tim Evans

41 percent of Alaska’s population lives in Anchorage, the state’s largest city. That’s a pretty big chunk of the state’s population right there that wouldn’t count themselves among the “rural” residents on whose behalf Senator Begich is presuming to speak.

Bolwerk

Yes, it’s going to focus “overwhelmingly” on urban areas. You know, where the “overwhelming” number of people live, and the “overwhelming” contributions to our country’s economy are created. Where the “overwhelming” need for infrastructure dollars is… That’s the GD point.

A lot of sheer political stupidity happens in the United States because, probably starting with Nixon, the political establishment has been telling car-dependent people who live in sparsely populated areas, which then probably included many suburbs, that they personally hold the country up on their shoulders (like Atlas! *shrug*) – in fact, the political establishment even believes it themselves, with the Demokrats even in big cities taking the myth hook, line, and sinker. Hence the NYS Assembly’s fear of allowing fees for use of the “free” bridges – even they would benefit nearly everyone whether they drive or not.

The phenomenon also explains the Teabaggers. They think they are being taxed to pay for welfare queens in Chicago and New York. It probably would blow their minds to learn that, if anything, it’s more or less the opposite that’s true.